Transport Minister Simeon Brown speaks to media on the Aratere ferry grounding after a briefing about the incident. Video / RNZ / Tim Cuff
Interislander’s Aratere ferry docked in Picton last night following a tumultuous weekend in the sea.
The ferry was refloated on a high tide Saturday night after running aground in the inner Picton Harbour north of Bob’s Bay on Friday evening, stranding nearly 50 people aboard.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday that the Government was committed to getting “great new ships” on Cook Strait.
Asked if he would put his family on the Interislander, he said he would “absolutely”.
Luxon said he would have more to say on the delivery of new ferries in due course.
Interislander ferry Aratere in Marlborough Sounds. The ferry encountered problems but has now been refloated. Photo / Tim Cuff
Over the weekend Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor extended her thanks to all those involved in the multi-agency response to refloat the grounded ship.
“The speed of the response on site on Friday night is to be commended and many stayed throughout the night to assist,” she said.
The district council’s nautical and coastal team will continue to work with KiwiRail and Port Marlborough alongside Maritime New Zealand on the next steps, Taylor said.
“Oil spill booms will be placed around the Aratere once docked as a precautionary measure to ensure any environmental risk is mitigated. Once the immediate response is over, council’s coastal scientists will also conduct environmental surveys to assess any impact to the site.”
Earlier, the boss of KiwiRail defended the safety of his ships following the successful refloating of the Aratere nearly 24 hours after it ran aground.
The Aratere was refloated by KiwiRail supported by a team of global experts and in collaboration with Maritime NZ, Port Marlborough, and the Marlborough District Council Harbour Master.
KiwiRail chief executive Peter Reidy said this was a small mark on what had been a successful year for the ferries.
“I’d take my own family on those ships right now,” Reidy told media at a press conference this morning.
“We are very disappointed with what has happened over the past 24 hours,” he said.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis also announced yesterday that KiwiRail board chairman David McLean would retire at the end of July.
Willis said it was unrelated to the Aratere incident.
The Government also signalled it plans to refresh the board.
Maritime NZ inspectors would place the Aratere under a detention order now it had arrived in Picton, director Kirstie Hewlett said.
“This will enable Maritime NZ to work closely with Aratere’s classification society and KiwiRail to understand what has occurred, and what action needs to happen, before the vessel is able to move safely again and can be released.”
Hewlett said the Maritime NZ investigators would start an investigation into the grounding today.
“They will carry out interviews, examine the scene and ferry, review documents and gather evidence. We will then decide what, if any, further action to take.”
The investigation is expected to take several months to complete.
